Enhancing Performance via Innovative Coating of Additively Manufactured Parts

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a fast-growing technology that allows rapid fabrication of complex parts and is currently being explored as an alternative, cost-effective manufacturing method by several different industries, including the military. While plastic AM is mature, the barriers for adoption of the technology, particularly for military applications, are significant. Parts created by plastic AM methods lack functionality and the ability to match benchmark requirements of traditional manufacturing due to material limitations and poor performance. In Phase I, Lynntech developed an electroless plating approach for the deposition of tribological coatings on parts, enhancing their mechanical performance. This initial proof-of-concept demonstrated the ability of Lynntech’s plating technology to create high-performance 3D-printed parts as a cost-effective alternative when strong, lightweight, and extremely hard & wear resistance materials are needed. During Phase II, Lynntech will extend its unique plating process to scaled-up parts while optimizing & validating the coating quality, repeatability, & performance. Completion of a Materials Properties Database correlating coating thickness with mechanical improvements will be performed and adopted into a user-friendly interface that can be integrated into 3D printing systems. A final analysis is expected to describe the substantial cost savings and benefits of implementation into military processes and commercial markets.